Silver and Gold
by Red Demon
Summary: AU! The world has been lit by Sun and Moon for many years, the seeds of the last great lights, but now a darkness is rising that not even they can break through. There is one last gift to be given from the Two Trees of Valinor, but will it hold?
1. A Bloody Birth

King Thranduil paced the halls as the elven midwife tended to his wife, he was worried for her, she had not carried the whole term and it was believe that she was having twins; which could prove fatal for the newborn babies. He heard the cries of a babe and breathed a sigh of relief; at least one of the children seemed to be fine. He could hear his wife cry out as another contraction hit her as the second babe was to be born, but this cry was not the same as the ones before. He could hear the midwife hurrying about gently talking to his wife. The servants that she had brought though stood in his way making it impossible for him to enter into the bed chamber, which was all he wanted at the moment. Beyond the door he could hear the cries of his baby after the last cry that his wife had given he had not heard a single cry from her and this bothered him more than anything else. In fact since then the only cries that he had heard aside from the soothing voice of the midwife was that of the first child that had been born minutes ago now. He paced before the door until finally there was silence from behind it, even the servants that the midwife had brought were looking at each other this was something that had not happened before in their tenure with her. There was a bit of relief in their faces as the door swung open revealing the midwife and in her arms were not one but two small bundles though both were marred with blood and the midwife herself was quite bloody. She looked at the king with a look of horror and sorrow.

"I am sorry my king, I could not save your children and your wife, I could only save your children." The midwife whispered. Thranduil for his part stood in shock for several minutes, before brushing past the midwife into the room to where his wife lay on the bed. The pristine white sheets and the bright silks were almost all stained red. And several more were piled beside the bed all of them stained crimson with blood. He stood beside her, her eyes were shut and her mouth was slightly parted almost as if she was sleeping. He brushed her cheek gently before he pulled back the sheet. His face was cold and impassive before he set the sheet back down.

"Which child was the first born?" The kings voice was cold and impassive and the midwifes face dropped.

"My king, surely you would not punish a child for actions that it had no ability to take part in or halt." The king rounded on her his face cold.

"Which one?" The King growled. The midwife blanched but held out the larger of the two babes.

Thranduil took the child into his arms and inspected it. "A son." The midwife said softly, at that Thranduil gave a nod.

"Good take that monster in your arms then and make sure I never see it again, and then you should disappear yourself for if I see you again I promise you you will regret it for the rest of your immortal life." Thranduil said coldly. He started to walk away but then stopped, "Actually give the little monster to the servant, I want it taken to the dungeon and left there until the ending of this world." With that he walked out of the room leaving the servants and the midwife to carry out his orders or face death or perhaps a punishment worse.


	2. From the Darkness

She lay curled up in the corner of her cell listening to the distant sounds about her, foot steps, shouts laughter. They were all so faint and that was the way she preferred them to be. When they drew close to her that generally meant that they were coming for her and that would mean pain something that she did not like, even if it came with food, which her stomach now growled fiercely reminding her that it had been a number of days now since she had last eaten, and it needed sustenance. There was none in her cell to be had, she'd finished of the meager meal she'd been brought last a few days ago, which meant that despite the distance in the voices and the footsteps they would soon draw to her so that the guards could have some sport of her and to bring her food.

She glanced about the dark room and reached out and touched the cool rock wall that she was facing, with her hand, and wondered about some of the things that the guards spoke of when they taunted her. They spoke about trees and sky and flowers, none of these things had any meaning to her, yet apparently they should, apparently she should long for them, but how could she? She had never seen any of the things that they had ever taunted her with and so she had not reacted ever, which resulted in beatings, thinking that she was trying to be strong in fron of them and not show how much she longed for the open. All elves long for the open lands. That is what they kept telling her, apparently she was also an elf, though she knew not what an elf was she assumed that her guards were elves, but she didn't think she looked anything like them. They were despite their cruelty beautiful and she could see the difference in her hands and body when they came with their bright lights that stung her eyes, in her clothing, in everything. Her wandering mind though was quickly brought back to the sound of footsteps, they were still distant but they were closer than they had been before and with each on they drew nearer and she drew her arm back to her and scuttled up to the corner until she was pressed right against it, and prayed to what she did not know that the footsteps would go the other way but it was a futile hope and she knew it, in moments they would be at her cell and she would have to suffer their amusement until they grew bored of her.

The door swung open and light flooded the small cell, she had her eyes shut tight though she could tell there were at least two figures in the door way for the light they blocked out.

"Filthy little creature is she not?" Came the laughing voice of one of the guards, "I do not know why King Thranduil does not just kill her, she has not moved from this cell in years." The guard said calmly taking a few steps in, the other stayed in place though she had caught the sharp intake of breath and a rustling of cloth with a soft gag. A new guard likely being trained.

"How long has she been in here?" Came the soft question from the guard that still stood in the doorway.

"I do not honestly know she has been here longer than I have been a guard." He said with a shrug, she curled up tighter now since he was standing right over her. "How long have you been in here?" She was being asked a question, one she did not know the answer to, and she whimpered knowing that if she did not answer she'd be beaten for it, but how could she answer? Suddenly a sharp pain burst from her chest as a boot connected with her ribs ripping the breath from her lungs and she tried to keep from crying out but she must have failed.

"Answer me." The guard said coolly laughing as he reached down and grabbed her by her hair and pulled her up from the ground, she opened her eyes whimpering slightly as she tried to cover her body so that he had less to hit.

"She does not seem to speak much."

"She never has, she has always been odd like that, nobody even knows why she is in here except King Thranduil." The guard said slamming her against the wall, how long have you been in this cell?"

The question again, and stills he had no answer though she looked at the new guard, he wasn't dressed like a guard and he was so bright and she could not help but stare at him. The guard that was holding her noticed and slammed her against the wall.

"How dare you stare so openly at someone so high above you." He hissed. "You will lower your eyes when a prince comes to vewi your wretched hide."

Prince? She had never heard that word before and she looked confused.

"Enough Gilodan." Suddenly he advanced and his light flared even more and she winced as the cell brightened up more than it ever had before, so much so that Gilodan even noticed it and turned.

"Prince Legolas, your light." His words trailed off as even he was caught mesmerized by the light streaming from his lord. The bright elf was coming for her and she was afraid, he paused with a frown noticing his light as well before he continued until he was almost touching her and she tried to shrink back but she was held against the rock wall and she looked everywhere except at him she'd been told to look away so she was, and then he touched her. And the room was so bright she needed to shut her eyes again for it hurt so much.

"How long have you been in this cell?" This time the question came from the Prince and he took her from the guard and she whimpered covering her eyes.

The guard she quit paying attention to he was standing back in awe

"How long?" He was not hurting her save for the bright light that came from him, perhaps that was what the word prince meant? But if she spoke she likely would find out just how much he was willing to hurt her and she sobbed hopping that it was the reaction he was looking for. He lowered her down to the floor and let her curl up tightly, and she ventured a quick glance.

"Have you ever been out of this cell?" He asked and that she could answer, she shook her head and he licked his lips. "Ever?" Again she shook her head he looked angry at that and she shrank back.

"Where did you live as a child?" His questions were odd, had she not just told him this was the only place she had ever been? He still had not harmed her.

"Here."

Neither of them though had noticed that Gilodan had left at a run, Prince Legolas turned and noticed he was gone, and with the keys, and he was not about to stay here any longer.

"You are coming with me, if my father knows why you are in here then I would learn what crime a child could do that would warrant such a harsh sentence." With that she was pulled up again and pulled from the cell, and she was afraid.


	3. Meeting the King

The prince was far more gentle than any of the Guards, but he also wanted out of the bowels of the dungeons and pulled harder and faster than what she could manage and several times her legs faltered beneath her and were it not for the tight grip on her arm that dragged her along and held her up she would have fallen. What was worse was the light, up they went and the further they got the brighter it became until she was trying only to cover her eyes and several times much to the annoyance of the prince she forgot to walk entirely. Ahead she could see a strange light but what it was she did not know but she had never seen this sort of light before and it hurt more than any flame that had been brought to her cell.

And then it was blocked out by another figure and the prince seemed happy to see whoever it was.

"Father! What" The prince was cut off though as the King rushed towards him shouting furiously at the guards and at the prince.

"What? What indeed! What is this wretched monster doing out of her cell and why are you of all people escorting her about?" The prince stood in shock as his father grabbed her and she sobbed pitifully as he tore her from the prince causing the bright golden light to fade slightly. "She was to stay in her cell!" with that he shoved her backwards and she toppled down the stairs.

Pain shot through her body, and there was a loud crack and her vision burst with light from the pain though she could make nothing out. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs in a crumpled ball, pain was the only thing that she could feel now and it frightened her. She whimpered slightly and tried to move but it hurt, she stayed still hoping that the Princes father would leave her be, let the guards deal with her as they never hurt her this much. She managed to open her eyes for a moment, but her vision was swimming and the light only made it worse. She squeezed her eyes shut again as footsteps rushed towards her. She felt a hand grab the back of her head and something cold was on her throat.

"My King the laws!" It was the voice of one of the guards but her face was shoved back down and King Thranduil walked away from her as she wept.

"Take her back to her cell, and never bring her out again."

"Father her arm is broken she needs a healer!"

"Orcs do not deserve healers." With that there was silence save for footsteps walking away up towards that strange light she had seen for a moment. Suddenly there were hands on her and she flinched and tried to struggle away but they were too strong and she was feeling weaker and weaker even as they carried her back down into her cell where she was laid onto the ground. Perhaps they figured that she had been tortured enough, it was the only thing that she could think of.

She was horribly wrong, the guards laid her out on the floor of the cell and pinned her fast though their voices where hushed and they spoke to each other softly as if trying to decide what they should do. She struggled weakly for all she wanted to do was to curl up in a ball for it seemed to ease the pain far more than anything else but they would not let her. The held her fast despite her struggles and choking sobs, and in her pain she did not try to make out what they were saying. Suddenly one of them was pulling on her injured arm and the sparks of light that had flown before her eyes before revisited her and she thought she was going to die from it. And then the pulling stopped and there were hushed whispers though the guards were still touching her arm the pain was slowly fading from it and then they were gone.


	4. The Wrath of Thranduil

The prince was far more gentle than any of the Guards, but he also wanted out of the bowels of the dungeons and pulled harder and faster than what she could manage and several times her legs faltered beneath her and were it not for the tight grip on her arm that dragged her along and held her up she would have fallen. What was worse was the light, up they went and the further they got the brighter it became until she was trying only to cover her eyes and several times much to the annoyance of the prince she forgot to walk entirely. Ahead she could see a strange light but what it was she did not know but she had never seen this sort of light before and it hurt more than any flame that had been brought to her cell.

And then it was blocked out by another figure and the prince seemed happy to see whoever it was.

"Father! What" The prince was cut off though as the King rushed towards him shouting furiously at the guards and at the prince.

"What? What indeed! What is this wretched monster doing out of her cell and why are you of all people escorting her about?" The prince stood in shock as his father grabbed her and she sobbed pitifully as he tore her from the prince causing the bright golden light to fade slightly. "She was to stay in her cell!" with that he shoved her backwards and she toppled down the stairs.

Pain shot through her body, and there was a loud crack and her vision burst with light from the pain though she could make nothing out. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs in a crumpled ball, pain was the only thing that she could feel now and it frightened her. She whimpered slightly and tried to move but it hurt, she stayed still hoping that the Princes father would leave her be, let the guards deal with her as they never hurt her this much. She managed to open her eyes for a moment, but her vision was swimming and the light only made it worse. She squeezed her eyes shut again as footsteps rushed towards her. She felt a hand grab the back of her head and something cold was on her throat.

"My King stop! The laws!" It was the voice of one of the guards but her face was shoved back down and King Thranduil walked away from her as she wept.

"Take her back to her cell, and never bring her out again."

"Father her arm is broken she needs a healer!"

"Orcs do not deserve healers." With that there was silence save for footsteps walking away up towards that strange light she had seen for a moment. Suddenly there were hands on her and she flinched and tried to struggle away but they were too strong and she was feeling weaker and weaker even as they carried her back down into her cell where she was laid onto the ground. Perhaps they figured that she had been tortured enough, it was the only thing that she could think of.

She was horribly wrong, the guards laid her out on the floor of the cell and pinned her fast though their voices where hushed and they spoke to each other softly as if trying to decide what they should do. She struggled weakly for all she wanted to do was to curl up in a ball for it seemed to ease the pain far more than anything else but they would not let her. The held her fast despite her struggles and choking sobs, and in her pain she did not try to make out what they were saying. Suddenly one of them was pulling on her injured arm and the sparks of light that had flown before her eyes before revisited her and she thought she was going to die from it. And then the pulling stopped and there were hushed whispers though the guards were still touching her arm the pain was slowly fading from it and then they were gone.


	5. To the Lady

"She has not moved since we set her arm." It was the voice of the guard that had been with the prince when he had come. She could hear him faintly and she was certain he was outside the door with the Guard Captain, she had no idea that the two of them were kneeling over her and the guard captain was checking her arm. For the last few days she had been blissfully unaware of anything that had happened about her, though she had slowly started to become more aware of what was happening with each passing day though she knew not how long she had been cocooned in her own mind.

"She has not eaten either I see." She tried to open her eyes but even that was far too lofty a goal for her and the effort of even thinking about it drained her. She could hear them though and from what they were saying they were in the tiny cell, and yet she felt no pain, perhaps she could not feel anymore? She knew not but she did know that she was glad fr the lack of pain.

"Is she dying?" To that there was no response, she was not sure what dying was, she had never really seen anything die before, but from the sounds of it she could tell that it was something that was not to be wanted, perhaps it was worse than what life was, at least to her. "We need to get her to a healer then."

"You heard the King, orcs do not deserve healers, if the Prince cannot get her a healer we will not manage to do so either."

"She is an elf though and if she dies her blood will be on our Lords hands!" There was no reply to that either, though it was not a question, there was only the shuffling of feet and the closing of the cell door and the loud click that signalled it was locked and she drifted away peacefully to the darkness once more.

"On your feet." Suddenly rough arms were grabbing her and she was not sure what was happening though they pulled her to her feet dragging her just barely back to consciousness. She was moving though most of it was not under her own power, her feet were dragging though occasionally she did manage to try to take a step or two but the movements were slow and uncoordinated. The only thing she knew was that she was being rushed along and the pain in her body was enough to force her to open her eyes and again she was going up to where the King had met her. However there was now only dim light coming from where he had stood. She had no time toprocess anything that she saw as she was rushed through rooms that were immensely larger than her cell and then out into the open where she shuddered at the breeze that struck her, it chilled her almost immediately for she was clad in only the barest rags. Her mind was spinning at everything she was seeing and hearing and then it all went brown.

Brown and warm she realised though the breath that she had had been knocked from her as she had been thrown up upon some beast and whoever it was on the horse with her shifted her around as she struggled to catch her breath, as the guards about her spoke in hushed tones. The only thing she managed to catch after she managed to pull in a few ragged breathes.

"Take her to The Lady. She should be able to heal her and if not she can get her to Elrond easier than we can now ride." And then the beast sprang forward on command and all the talking ceased.


	6. Orcs and Elves

Her head was swimming as she struggled to keep her breath. It was far too painful and she knew not how long they had been riding she knew though that something dangerous was about for their pace had increased despite the fact she could hear the animal that they were on was breathing hard and was tired. She could sense that much but it was frightened as well, of what she did not know. She could see nothing save the swift movement of green and browns beneath her now that the light was beginning to fade away and her vision returned once more. Suddenly the animal they were on shrieked in pain and toppled sideways. The guard that was with her cried out in alarm and leapt safely aside leaving her to the crushing weight of the animal as it rolled on her she could feel it shuddering and struggling but it did not get up. It thrashed about on top of her and her arm ached more than it had in a long time and she almost lost consciousness from it. However she didn't and she could hear the elf she had been riding with shouting curses in some strange language that they never used with her. He was fighting with something she managed to move just enough so that she could see his sword flashing frantically and a few bits of black blood spray out before she heard a cry that she recognized. It was strange for it was one that normally came from her when the guards punished her for her crimes, yet it came from the elf and she watched as he fell. She dared not move beneath the still thrashing horse though she could now see what it was that had killed the elf and what was frightening the horse that was slowly crushing her. Without having seen them before, she knew these beasts, orcs. They were the same as her from what she knew of herself and she shuddered as they cut into the elf repeatedly, there were too many for him to fight and they were savage and soon they had killed him and were tearing him apart and the horse as well. Though in the last throws of its death the horse gave her a small gift of mercy it hit her arm hard enough that she knew no more.

When she woke again the orcs were still butchering the horse above her though they had not yet discovered her hidden beneath it. It was however far lighter than it had been and she wondered how long it would be through a weary haze before she was killed as well. After all she was an orc raised by elves surely they would not want her either and she watched with a sad resolution to take her death as she had taken her life, as quietly as possible. Fate however conspired against her and soon the orcs about her sent up a great howl of rage and she knew not what was happening but several of them fell to the ground black liquids seeping from their bodies and then there were more elves. These were fairer and prouder than the guards she had seen before. They were tall and their eyes were cold as they came into the camp and killed the last orcs where they fought to live. She recoiled, she was an orc and while she had been content to die quietly at the hands of the orcs she wanted no more torments from the hands of the elves. She sobbed softly at the thought of the pain she had been caused. The movement or the sound though caught the attention of a few of the elves to her dismay, and they came over to the horse thinking perhaps it was still suffering. It was dead and had been for long hours now and they could tell that from the looks of the horse, and so she found herself dragged out from under the horse roughly her arm bending unnaturally once more and a cry of pain that she could not stop escaped from her lips. It caused whoever had grabbed her to drop her as if she had burned them, one had a sword and it was at her throat. Others she saw looked about in panic were holding long sticks though they were strangely shaped and they all seemed to be looking at her. The blade that was to her neck slipped away and the elf holding it put it into his belt before he kneeled beside her and she flinched away. He spoke in hushed tones though she knew not what he said. His hand recoiled from her and went to his own throat and his cloak fell away revealing a face that was etched with an emotion she had never seen before. She did not even notice that he had wrapped the cloak about her until he scooped her up and was carrying her away from the gore that was left from the orcs and the rider and his mount.


	7. Haldir and Orc?

She lay, nestled into several warmed blankets as elves bustled about, she tried to watch them as best she could but the light that flooded the room hurt her eyes that were so accustom to the darkness of her cell that she found herself having to listen to them more than watch them, though the amount of noise about her was deafening to her but she could not shut her ears as she could her eyes. Several times she heard the word Morgoth what that was she did not know, but it sounded bad, the elf that had brought her there was getting angry looking though when she did hazard opening her eyes, however it seemed to be at other elves that were rushing about. She shut her eyes again dizzy from the light and the noise and the movement all about her. The elf at her feet must have noticed something for suddenly he was touching her head and she started causing him to pull his hand back the look on his face was similar to what it had been in the forest and still she did not understand what it meant.

She still did not understand what he was saying he was talking once more to her but the words were foreign though beautiful. However soon there were several other elves were about her and she started try to get away, however the elf that had carried her there held her gently in place. She looked up at him as he took a glass of liquid from another elf and she pulled away from him looking for some other escape as he began to set the cup to her lips. He stopped though as the other elf halted her escape and spoke. He gave a small nod then took the cup away from her and did something she had never seen the guards do. He drank some of it before offering it to her; she hesitated but took a few sips. It was strange tasting, but it seemed to do nothing however soon her eyes felt heavier and the pain that she had become accustom to disappeared, and she was afraid and it seemed as if the elf was worried at all and the other was confused, as if this was not suppose to be happening. Which caused her to start panicking but whatever it was that she had drank had a hold of her and she slipped further under until she was barely hearing those about her the guard held grabbed her good hand gently squeezed it before she remembered no more.

When she woke again she was wrapped tightly in the furs that she had fallen asleep in and the guard that had been there when she fell asleep was sitting his eyes half shut, it was now much darker than it had been when she had drunk the liquid. The guard must have noticed her looking about for his eyes shot open and he sat up and gave her a smile. He spoke softly to her and slowly held out a hand it was not close enough to touch her though and she was confused. She sat looking at him and his hand for a few minutes not understanding what he wanted from her until he withdrew his hand his face falling slightly and she worried that she had upset him since upsetting a guard normally meant that she would get a beating. She shifted nervously before realizing that her arm that had been aching for so long had finally ceased its pains and she struggled against the furs for a moment, not understanding what they were or what use they had until she looked at her arm. It felt strangely heavy and was wrapped up in something. She went to touch it and the elf that was sitting watching her reached forward and stopped her as she went to try to see how to take the thing off she did not like it. She shrank back confused, she did not understand why she could not touch her arm but he kept pointing at it and talking. She stared at him wishing she understood what he was saying; he must caught confusion on her face because he sighed and shook his head. Finally he pointed to himself and said very slowly and clearly.

"Haldir." She was confused for a moment then nodded, understanding that was his name she had learned a few of the guards names in Mirkwood when they spoke to each other. However when he pointed at her she was confused, she did not have a name as far as she knew and she frowned. Haldir frowned as well and pointed to himself again.

"Haldir."

She nodded, confused as he pointed to her again, before realising he wanted to know what she was called. The last elf that had asked her anything had been the Prince, and he had been quite gentle with her compared to what she had gotten use to with the other elves. However she did not understand enough of their speech to know exactly what it was that they wanted so slowly and carefully she pointed to herself trying to decide if it was safe before tentatively speaking.

"Orc." At that the elf's face twisted angrily and he reached out and grabbed her hand pulling it away from herself hissing angrily and she shrank back into the bed not sure as to what she had done wrong however his grip was not painful he spoke angrily at length at her in his beautiful language that she did not understand before shoving her hand away and stalking off leaving her horribly confused.


	8. Learning to Speak

She had not moved even once since Haldir had been there and other elves came and went but they did not bother to speak with her as she shrank back away from them. They left a small tray beside her bed within reach; though she was not sure what they were it was nothing like she had ever seen before. And then a few hours later the tray was taken away and she was left alone again. It was many hours before she saw anyone again and they came again bearing the same tray that she had seen before still covered with things she did not know. However minutes later Haldir came after and sat beside the tray motioning to it speaking again he wanted her to eat but she did not know what it was or if perhaps this food was like the food the Mirkwood guards they wouldn't give her anymore. Frowned and picked up a few piece of the food on the tray as her stomach growled angrily something it did normally when she ate her tiny morsels in her cell, she had not eaten anything. At that though the beautiful elf held out his hand with the food in it and she tentatively took a single piece and nibbled on it, Haldir gave a nod and ate one of the pieces as well. She must have shown something on her face, at that, and he stopped unsure of what was bothering her until he held out the half eaten slice of food. She grabbed it from him and he gave a sad noise what it was for though she was not sure. All she knew was that he stood and picked up the tray and placed it right beside her, and reached out and gently touched her head with a small sad smile. He spoke to her shortly and headed for the door. There he grabbed a young woman and spoke softly to her she looked into the room right at her and gave a nod before he released her and came back to her side and gave her a smile. Soon she found the woman coming into the room with another tray off the same things she was eating as well as a whole one and she gave it to Haldir who ate one of the pieces in a few bites, she frowned at him confused as he handed her one of his slices

"Eat." He spoke very slowly motioning for her to take the piece of food, and ate the one in her hand and took the slice carefully watching him closely. "Eat." He said again before he ate another slice off of his tray. She nodded and ate the slice he gave a nod and picked up a strange red thing that was sitting on the tray beside it a knife she saw now and she tensed slightly. He held the red thing out and then pointed to himself

"Haldir." She nodded then he pointed to the red thing, "Apple." She was confused, she pointed at him and then at the fruit before nodding realising what it was that he telling her what the things name was

"Apple." She said slowly it was something she had never heard of before. Haldir nodded and picked up the knife and she shrank back in fear, wondering if she had said it wrong, however he took the knife the apple and cut into it revealing soft white flesh under the red and he took the piece he'd cut off and set the knife down and held it out to her "Eat."

She took it and nibbled on it, it looked like what she had been eating and it tasted the same. She pointed at the slices that were left on her tray and scrunched her brow "Apple?" At that the elf gave her a smile and nodded, he quickly cut up the rest of the apple set the tray within arm reach and stood up taking the knife and the middle of the apple and left and she looked at all the food about her. It was more than she had ever been given at one time, and it was nicer tasting. He turned at the door and spoke again she did not understand him but she felt safe as the door shut.


	9. Outside

She had remained in the room for a long time, her eyes still stung during the day as she learned it was called, and she was slowly finding her voice with simple words that Haldir taught her. For the most part it was him and a few other elves that came into her room, the others to leave food which she had learned was plentiful and that she didn't need to keep her old food and hide it from them, they always brought her more. Haldir had even taught her how to request different foods that she liked more, which seemed to please the other elves when they could make her day a bit better with simple things like sliced apples. She was quite use to them, and half expected at one of them when the door opened, however she soon found three elves in her room one holding something sharp looking and only one of them she knew and she shrank back from them glancing about nervously wanting to escape. Perhaps she had done something bad? She was not sure but they headed towards her and two that she did not know went hand held her and she whimpered in fear. The elf that she knew was holding the instrument and was grabbing at her arm with the cast as Haldir had called it while the one that had the sharp things came at her. She cried out as the elves held her she tried to push them away but for her gentle attempts they gripped at her tighter and grabbed her other hand. Soft words were spoken but it was too late for that she was already panicked and her breathing was coming much faster and she struggled weakly to try to get away from them.

"What are you doing?" She did not understand what he had said but she knew the tone was annoyed and that Haldir had come. He pulled the three elves off of her and knelt down beside her, she looked at him through teary eyes and he hushed her and sat upon the bed and held her tightly against him, a place that she had come to feel safe over the last few weeks. Once she had calmed down he set her back against the pillows and gave her a small smile before marching the three elves out of the room. The door shut and she could still hear his voice through it shouting at them he was angry she had heard that tone once before from him in the previous weeks. Suddenly the shouting ceased and there was no more sound from behind the door and she wondered if Haldir would come back but then the door opened and the elf with the sharp things came back in as did Haldir and a new elf, this one she did not recognize but she knew that she was beautiful and powerful the way Haldir reacted to her, and the way she spoke. Haldir came over to her and sat on the bed and pointed to her arm in the cast.

"Cast, off." He said slowly and she nodded slowly as he pointed to the elf that was holding the sharp things. She nervously held out her arm and the elf came up to her slowly while the woman stood back and watched. It took several minutes but the cast was off revealing a weakened arm. A few minutes later the elf was gone leaving Haldir holding her as she looked at her arm, it was pale and thinner than it had been by a little but it was no longer angry and red and purple and it was smooth again.

Haldir looked to the other woman and then back to her before pointing. "Lady Galadriel." This got a nod though she did not try to say this one, she understood now that whenever he pointed and said something generally he was telling her what they were called, however something in the back of her head set off a warning she was not sure what it was though. The warning though was squashed before it could fully formulate, she relaxed feeling a warm comforting feeling pervading her senses while it searched for something, she gasped pulling out of the comforting feeling realizing that it was the Lady in her mind. She looked in shock at Haldir and at this Lady Galadriel, and slowly the warm feeling eased its way in once more and with it came words. Words soft and melodic much like those Haldir used though she did not understand flowed though she did not understand their meaning their tone was enough for her and she let the warmth wash her again as Haldir reached to hold her. She was soothed even as dark memories were brought up and suddenly the Lady staggered back, as if she had seen something horrible. She looked then at Haldir and the warmth that had relaxed her faded. The last memory she had felt being pulled up was that of her old home in the dark cell.

"You need to take her from this room Haldir, she has always lived in a single room, take her outside let her see the forest and teach her out there as she gains more strength. She is well enough to leave this house." What the Lady said she did not understand though she caught Haldir's name as well as outside. What that meant she did not know and she wondered if she was telling Haldir to go outside and leave her be, but Haldir gave a nod and looked at her.

"Outside." She was confused but then he scooped her up gently and stood up despite the fact she yelped in fear at the sudden change however it was Haldir and he had never let her come to harm and she clutched tightly to him as they left the room that she had come to know as her home for the last few weeks.


	10. The Darkness Within

"Itheal?" Haldir called and she perked her head up from what she was doing to look at the marchwarden, it was her name now she knew that much and gave him a smile.

"Yes?" She stood up brushing her clothing off from where she had been hiding out in the garden. It had been discovered that dresses were not suitable for her she was too inquisitive and often ripped or tore them. Haldir gave a smile and headed towards her.

"Lady Galadriel wishes to see you." This brought a bit of a nervous shift over her, she did not much like what Galadriel looked at in her head, when she was finished she always seemed angry when she was finished with her and Itheal did not understand why, though she herself always was afraid and scared once the Lady Galadriel was through the entire time she was always saw what had happened to her in the cell with the other elves, though Galadriel had yet to discover it was her own kin harming the child, she had yet to get the child's memories clear enough to discern such a thing. Haldir seemed to understand this well enough that the memories being dragged up bothered her greatly though he knew not entirely what they were; Galadriel often told him they were dark and horrible.

"I'll take you to the stables once you are done perhaps let you ride one of the horses." At that she smiled, she had only started to learn about the horses she quite liked them, though a few of them did not overly like her.

She followed him along the path and soon found herself in a clearing with Galadriel looking at her the Lady patted the space on the bench beside her and gave her a small smile. Itheal glanced to Haldir but went to the bench and sat down. The Lady gave her a small smile knowing full well that the young elf disliked what she did but she was still trying to sort the tangled memories which clouded Itheal's mind out so that she might be able to heal her completely. It was a stretch in these dark times but it was something the Lady aimed for none the less.

The two women sat still Itheal looking at Galadriel and Galadriel looking at her; however Galadriel was trying her best to navigate the dark memories that Itheal held just beneath the surface of her happy expressions that she shared with the elves of Lothlorien and with Haldir.

She often saw dark shapes blurred over her but always blurred and only their much larger forms told Galadriel they were men hovering over the girl, pain, sometimes bad enough that the Lady gasped in shock as if she had been struck while Itheal sat motionless as if made of stone. She had to be in order to survive it was decided long ago by the lady. But how long had she survived there? Why could Galadriel find no childhood memories anything to ease the suffering after she searched through the dark memories? It was what Galadriel sought every time she sat with the young woman, and never had she found even the glimpse of a smile or light or the bubbling of laughter in the child's memories. She did not want to ask such a question Itheal had avoided answering it the last time she had been asked completely perhaps it was something she blocked. Perhaps she blocked all but what had happened with her escape though that too was hard for the Lady to discover. Darkness though pervaded the child's memories above all other things.

She dug deeper and she could sense Itheal watching her, the young woman was watching where she was trodding following her almost like a lost pet. She was getting close to something she was sure of it she dug deeper pulling at memories that she had never before touched upon. She shifted back some heavy veil, to find grey eyes wide and dilated staring up at her, eyes so dilated that they were almost entirely black in the darkness.

"Please no." It was not just a mental plea Itheal spoke the words too, and Haldir stepped forwards, never before had she spoken while she sat with the Lady as the Noldo had tried to solve what it was that caused her such torment. Galadriel stood and watched as the memory unfolded.

"Please no." Again the plea came but this time it was not to her Galadriel watched in horror as two men pushed through her and were upon the grey eyed child. Itheal. She was in a dark cell and they were not orcs, they were elves and suddenly there was a resounding sob and Haldir could take no more, he leapt forward and pulled Itheal away from the trance and Galadriel looked up at him tears in her own eyes.

Itheal was shaking in his arms sobbing horribly flinching away from blows that were raining down upon her in her mind.

"Please no." Galadriel said reaching out to touch the young woman, "Let go of those memories child." She said standing and quickly pressing herself against the child as well as if to shield her from the pain she had caused. The Lady looked to her marchwarden who looked worried and angry. "No more of this, let her live out her days in peace, she will stay in the Golden woods where it is safe and should we get the chance we shall send her west. The Valar be damned if they turn this poor child aside because I have tended her." Galadriel hissed to Haldir who could only nod and sooth the child in his arms as best as he could. He was not sure what it was that the Lady saw but it was dark to cause her to curse the Valar, after all the way West was blocked for most of the elves still since the return of the Noldo ages ago.

Silence, save for Itheal's sobbing was all that filled Galadriel's garden and it slowly faded as well. The March wardens grip upon her was like steel and he looked at the Lady Galadriel as she spoke softly to him of what she saw in his mind to keep Itheal from it yet again. Twice was bad enough Galadriel though and it took almost all of Haldir's strength to keep from marching to Mirkwood in the North and beating sense into the Elven King.

"No more please no more." Suddenly came the racked sob from between them and both were caught off guard.

"No more child, I promise you I'll not make you relive that again." Galadriel said putting a hand atop the young woman's head. "No more." She said again as Itheal cast her a glance, questioning if she meant it. With that the Lady stepped back and looked at Haldir.

"I think the stables would be a good place for her right now." To that the Marchwarden nodded and led her away from the gardens, leaving the Lady to decide what to do with her husband's kinsmen to the north.


	11. She Must Be Told

Not even the horses managed to cheer Itheal that day, he had not dared try to get her on the back of one of them, in her mood he feared that the horse would lash out angrily and hurt someone or itself. Possibly worse yet it might harm Itheal and that was the last thing that the young woman needed, to be stuck in with the healers. They were kind enough but sometimes they did not understand what it was that Itheal had gone through and that just doing things frightened her.

She had not even wanted to overly pat the horses he had sat stroking the nose of her favourite mare in the stable while trying to get her to join in from where she sat on a bench looking down at the straw on the ground. She had joined him for only a few seconds before she had stopped even that despite the fact the mare tried her best to get more scratches behind the ear out of her. Instead she wandered away, the elves of Lothlorien all knew to look out for her by now, and Haldir soon followed her until she reached the small talen that she had been given near his. It was well away from most people and because of its size few people bothered to visit her ever. Mostly himself and his brothers, though occasionally the healers that she had come to know well enough came to visit her and make sure that she was doing well and gaining more and more strength.

That she was but Haldir worried that what had happened in the garden earlier would hamper her healing, she had gained enough weight now that she was no longer skin and bones but she was still very close to that, and needed to eat more and needed to be active yet she had remained listless for the entire after noon, and not even apple slices had appealed to her. He watched as she climbed to her talon and pulled the ladder to it up making it impossible to check on her and coax her into doing anything. Haldir shook his head and headed off to see what he could learn from Galadriel since he had needed to take Itheal away from the garden before he had learned anything.

When he found Galadriel who was pacing worry etched upon her face, he stood patiently watching her until she stopped and looked at him

"King Thranduil will be here in a week." To that Haldir nodded everyone knew this they had been preparing for the visit for a few weeks now to make sure that he and his son Legolas would be comfortable, as well they had been sending out scouts further and further north the entire time making it a safer rod. "It was his dungeon she was taken from not Morgoth's."

Haldir stood for several moments trying to think of some response to this. "What madness took King Thranduil?" At that even the Lady Galadriel was at a loss. "We live in dark times it seems when a King would do such a thing to a child. I have not seen this sort of cruelty towards kin since the Sons of Feanor sacked Doriath." Haldir knew of this story but he was born well after Doriath had been abandoned by the elves.

Thranduil would be here, Itheal would likely spend that entire time cowering fearfully in her talen and only the grace of the Valar themselves would likely drag her from there if she knew that King Thranduil was coming to Lothlorien.

"We cannot hide this from her; she needs to know that he is coming and that we will protect her, my Lady." To this Galadriel gave a nod, Celeborn was already trying to find a way to make sure that there was always one guard warden near the young woman in case the elves from Mirkwood recognized her. The fact that she would be under guard would probably be enough to upset her.

"If I could my Lady I would prefer to guard her than watch over the safety of Thranduil and his son. She knows me and trusts me. The other soldiers she does not trust as much. She fears them; perhaps because it was soldiers of Thranduil that helped to get her to the state she was in when we discovered her."

"All right, I will try to find the word to comfort her and inform her that Thranduil will be near her, you go and find my Lord and let him know that you will need to be assigned to her at all times so that whichever wardens he sets to watch her with you may be lower ranked." To that Haldir nodded and went off the shock of what he had just been told was still fresh in his system; he felt that he should be angry that such a thing would happen. He was angry of course but he wasn't sure he was angry enough. After all she had been starved, and broken and terrified when he had found her under the dead horse. He had always thought she had hidden under it wisely or the elf that had been slain by the orcs had tucked her under but that did not seem likely, if it was Thranduil that had imprisoned her. Since Doriath no kin slaying had taken place again, the Sons of Feanor had been stripped of their Princedoms and with the death of all save two of them the Elven races had all but united themselves. Yet Morgoth's power kept growing, and new wyrms and dragons ravaged the lands regularly most were killed but at great cost and the relation between elves and men had diminished as well. Haldir wondered if he would ever live to see peace something that the world had not known since the murder of Finwe ages ago now.


	12. No Child of Mine

Itheal had withdrawn almost entirely during the preparations for Thranduil's visits, the guards were all aware that they were not only to guard against orcs but they were to also guard Itheal against Thranduil and his men as well. Haldir was worried about Itheal though, she had not taken the news well, she had paled and run away to her talan and had let none in near her for two days pulling her talans ladder up behind her. He had asked the Lady to move her to a different talan after that but she had refused his request. After what she had seen she was certain that Itheal would much rather stay in a talan where she could separate herself from people when she was worried, and she could safely hide there from Thranduil if she so desired while h was there. He relented only when she reminded him that she had food and water in her talan like every other resident of the Golden Woods and would be perfectly fine for days at a time before she would need to leave to get more supplies. However he did not have time to think about that, Thranduil was arriving within the hour and he needed to make sure that she was safe before he went to be part of the greeting party since he was one of the March Wardens. Her ladder was pulled up as it had been so often these past few days. "Itheal."

There was no response at all from the talan above him, and he sighed going to turn away, when suddenly the door that would let the ladder down opened up and Itheal's tired face popped over the edge so that he could see her. It was mid day and her elven light always seemed to be dimmer during the day but it seemed to be much less now.

"Itheal are you alright?" Haldir called worried now that something was wrong, perhaps she had not gotten her stores restocked and she had not been eating in the last few days at all. There was a small nod.

"Tired." She said softly. To that Haldir smiled though he was still quite worried

"Will you come down?" To this there was a small shake of the head. "Please, Itheal you need to come down, you cannot hide up there for the next month while Thranduil is here. Let me show you that you'll be safe." HE said softly reaching up to her. He could see the fear in her face even though she seemed to trust him. He knew though that in the coming month that trust was going to be tested and he only hoped he had earned it well enough that simple things would not break it. She shrank back from the talans opening and Haldir sighed as the door shut once more, it was likely still too soon for someone that had suffered so much to be thrust into a situation like this. At least though he knew where she was and that hopefully she would be safe. There would only be a few times where he would not be able to stay nearby to watch over her, and this was one of them and it worried him.

Soon enough Haldir found himself standing to the side of a clearing where Galadriel and Celeborn were greeting the Mirkwood King. Normally he would be looking over the guards he had brought noting their faces and making sure that his own men were looking sharply. However his mind constantly wandered back to Itheal and he wondered if she was doing well, and if she was safe. Perhaps there were more of the Mirkwood elves about searching for her? He shifted impatiently waiting for the formal greetings to be over so that he could leave however his attention to what his Lady and Lord were saying to the King was cut off by a sudden flare of golden light that caught them all off guard and they looked about sharply. Legolas and Thranduil seemed to be looking for something though the expressions on their faces were markedly different it was then that he caught sight of Itheal. Peeking out from behind a tree across the clearing everyone was searching for the source of the sudden burst of light and he took the opportunity to slip backwards through his own ranks of men and slip about to where she stood, not realising that Thranduil caught this and followed his path.

"Who is this? He asked just as Haldir came up to Itheal and put a hand on her shoulder preparing to guide her away.

"Itheal, a guest of the Golden Woods." Haldir said carefully as the King looked down at him.

"A guest of these woods? Why then does she sneak about like an orc?" Beneath his hand Haldir could feel her backing away the words stinging, how the King had known it was her was beyond him but it was as if he knew.

"King Thranduil, she is a guest of these Woods and for one as young as her sneaking about to see the arrival of another ruler is hardly orc behaviour. It is childlike at worst." Galadriel's said calmly her voice soothing.

"She would do me and my house harm; I know this creature well enough." Thranduil hissed angrily turning to the Lady who stood tall and proudly.

"I am sure you do." She said and she was not cowed by him, and Celeborn came and stood behind her.

"And what harm has she done to warrant the abuses you bestowed upon her? Starvation, broken bones, torments beyond what any child should face. We thought we had found some poor thing rescued from the halls of Morgoth and his Lieutenant Sauron! To find it was the hands of an ally to do such things!" Celeborn held his hand up silencing Haldirs outburst to which Thranduil stood fuming his hands clenching in and out of fists.

"She killed my wife."

At that there was silence for a moment while the two sets of guards bristled at each other as they moved to defend their own rulers.

"She is younger than your son Legolas and your wife died near his birth." Galadriel said softly. "She cannot have killed your wife."

"She is younger but by minutes." He said softly so that only those closest to him could hear. Galadriel paused and looked over at the child who was shaking and who looked afraid in a way she had not seen since she had been brought to the woods beaten and dying.

"She is your daughter then?" Galadriel asked softly and there was no response from Thranduil.

"What madness would cause you to do such a thing to your own child my friend?" Celeborn whispered back to him reaching out to touch his kinsman. Never did he expect such a thing from him, perhaps he was cursed by Morgoth, he could not see Thranduil doing such a thing before ever.

"She is no child of mine." With that Thranduil turned brushing aside Celeborn's hand. "Keep her of you wish she is a foul thing though." Itheal had shrunk in on herself defensively as she had when she had first been brought to the woods as Thranduil loomed over her before stepping aside. Haldir glanced to Galadriel asking for permission to take leave and take Itheal back to her talan or where ever she wished to go as long as it was away from King Thranduil. The tiny nod was all he needed and he led her away from the clearing. Neither of them wanted to think of what exactly it meant that she was in fact the daughter of King Thranduil and twin to Prince Legolas.


	13. Family Ties

When they were well clear of the Mirkwood elves Haldir slowed his pace and looked to the young woman in his care, she seemed tired and her elven light was dimmer than it normally was. Of course there had been a bright flare of golden light from Legolas, but he did not understand the meaning of it. After all there were other elven twins in the world and he had never seen such a thing happen before. "Itheal, are you alright?" He asked as she looked about, she was not as cheerful as she had been before she had discovered Thranduil was coming, but he would have thought the discovery that she was Thranduil's child would have affected her more, either she was still in shock from the news or she did not understand.

"Yes." She said looking at him strangely, and he shook his head, "He did not touch me." She stated calmly. Haldir shook his head and took hold of her arm gently and turned her towards him.

"No are you alright here." He said pointing to her heart. Most of the time she did not understand that wounds did not have to be physical, she did not understand quite a bit and the pain bestowed upon her physically made it hard for her to gauge emotional pain he had found. She frowned and looked at him.

"Scared, I don't like him being here but you said-"

Haldir nodded, "I will keep you safe you have my word. I meant about Thranduil being your father." At that he got a blank look and he bit his lip wondering at how to explain it to her she was looking at him closely confused by the word. It was not something that she had ever needed to know in the last while since she had come to the Golden Woods, and in the dungeon father, brother those terms would never have been uttered, she probably had no idea what a family was. He was about to explain it when he felt a sharp thought from Lady Galadriel stopping him.

Perhaps she was right; perhaps it would be best if for now she did not understand the complexities of what had been done to her. It was bad enough that her own kin had done it, neither of them knew what her reaction would be if she were to discover it was not just king but her own blood that had done so.

"That's what Thranduil is." He said softly, he was not about to lie to her and she was looking now for an explanation and that would be the best that he would be able to give her for a while at least. And he was glad that she did as she normally did and accepted the explanation and continued on, the path she was taking was one to her talan and he worried that she would lock herself in there and not come out for a good many days. And there would be questions that needed answering. As it was he wanted to speak with Legolas but he could not rightly leave Itheal alone, not even if she locked herself up in her talan now would he be leaving her without a guard at the very least.

"Thranduil is a King." She said slowly, "Why is Lord Celeborn so different? King and Lord are sometimes switched around." She asked and Haldir paused she was right.

"It is not their titles that make them different, it is themselves." Haldir said tipping her face up as she began worrying a hem on her dresses bodice. "Are not you and I different? Or you and the healer that tended you?"

"Yes but I'm-" She stopped and even with her head tipped up to him she looked down, and he knew what she caught herself about to say, it was something and slipped from her mouth only on the rarest of occasions but it angered him every time she had said it. Not at her, though he realised to late that she had not known the difference back then and he had almost destroyed all the hard work he had done with his outbursts.

"You are an elf, just like I am, or the healer is. If anyone tells you differently they are a fool." He said pulling her in to hug her.

"But-" He hushed her gently

"There are no buts Itheal you are an elf, look in any mirror and you will see."

"You said it is not my appearance though."

"I did, but if you were not an elf here," He said touching over her heart gently once more, "do you think you would look like an elf?" To that she was silent, she never had answered him any other time and while he was certain that she doubted him she never once argued with him. After all she had been told she was an orc so often she had eventually come to believe it, he could only hope the same would work for her when it came to him calling her an elf. The only difference was it was true.

"Home." She said finally having had enough of such thoughts and he nodded and started leading her away when behind them several Mirkwood elves appeared and he tensed despite the fact he wanted to make sure that Itheal stayed calm he felt her begin to tremble as she realised who it was that had come upon them though Thranduil was not with them. How many of then he wondered had she known in the dungeons?

"So what did you do March Warden to have to babysit an orc?" Came the sharp stinging question that Haldir had feared would come.

"She is not-"

"You cannot dress her up and change what she is." They said with a laugh.

"And you cannot change that no orc blood runs in her veins, the only foul blood she has in her is that of an elf that knows know decency." At this there was an angry snarl from the Mirkwood elves and they started towards him and the younger elleth. Haldir turned then pulling Itheal along though his path was not towards her talan. He did not want them to know where she stayed so that they could heckle her from far below while she hid in fear.

"Home?" She asked looking up at him her eyes pleading with him. Home was her safe place and he had never kept her from going there before he always had walked her home. Haldir understood that this was probably frightening her as much as having to deal with the Mirkwood elves following her and he smiled gently at her.

"I don't want them knowing where you live. We are going to the Wardens Talan." He said softly, the fear that was showing in her eyes diminished a bit and she nodded and clutched at his tunic as he wrapped an arm about her. The Mirkwood elves had not stopped following them nor had they ceased their cruel taunting and calling her an orc. He wanted to strike them but that would mean leaving Itheal alone and there were many of them against him alone. Itheal did not know how to fight or defend herself against them, he had to keep going and do his best to ignore them.

"March warden, don't forget that one day that orc will turn on you and kill you for all your kindness to her."

At that Haldir rounded.

"Your Prince Legolas shares her blood go call him an orc and see how Thranduil reacts, perhaps he will treat you as kindly as he treated his own flesh and blood his own daughter." He snarled. At this the Mirkwood elves ran forward intent on harm though they found the drawn bows of the Galadhrim on them and Haldir sighed in relief.

"You'll want to stay your hands; after all you are guests here." It was the cold voice of Rumil and Haldir turned and nodded his thanks.

"That orc is of no relation to our King or our Prince you had best watch your tongue Marchwarden or we will take it from you." With that the group sulked off and Haldir turned to look at Itheal who was looking down a troubled look on her face, and it was only then that he realized what he had said and he wondered if she had started to put the pieces of the puzzle together.


	14. One Request

"What does daughter mean?" She asked finally and she could see Haldir tense and the other wardens looked on intrigued. They had heard the Marchwardens outburst and were interested in hearing exactly what had caused it, and if Itheal, their guest was in fact a disowned Princess of the dark woods. Haldir stayed silent for several moments before another voice that he recognized answered for him.

"It means that you are special." It was Legolas and immediately Haldir and the other wardens tensed their bows drawing back once more as Itheal shrank back behind Haldir, partially from the reaction of the wardens and because she remembered that voice well. Prince Legolas stopped and his hands came up. "I came to see her and speak kindly, not to taunt her. I met her months ago now in the dungeons of my father, I had feared she had died when she disappeared a few weeks later. I am glad to see she is in much better shape than she was when I had met her at first." He said stepping back.

"You knew she was there?" Haldirs voice barely contained his rage at someone knowing that a child was being treated so.

At that there was a pause.

"Yes though not that she was my sister, I tried to take her from the dungeons to ask my father what a child could do to deserve such treatment. He met me in rage before we had even gotten fully out of them, he harmed her greatly when he saw her and he-" The prince paused looking uncomfortable with the thought, "-he just about killed her there, she was put back into the cell and I was refused entry to the dungeons at all. I was told by the guards that she was gone. If I had known-" Haldir glanced to Rumil and then to Itheal who was holding tightly onto his cloak tucked behind him; he could feel her trembling like a fragile leaf.

"Your guards still are intent harming her." Haldir said finally and Legolas frowned and turned to look at the path he had taken to get here he had passed a number of his father's men and they had looked angered by something.

"That I cannot help overly," he said softly, "they take orders from my father before me. I will leave her be though if that is what she wishes, I will gladly comply. I do have one request though if I may March Warden, since she seems to have chosen to be your ward."

"I can make no promises as to what you ask but ask if you wish Prince." Haldir said calmly. He could only hope that with how reasonable Legolas was it was a curse of Morgoth that had caused Thranduil to behave so.

"I would know how my sister is doing, and that she is happy in the future if I am to never see her again by her wish." At this the wardens of Lothlorien relaxed their draws on their bows, were relaxed though they kept a sharp eye for the return of any of the Mirkwood soldiers. Itheal was still frightened,

Though, words meant very little to her though he hoped she understood their tones well enough to know they did not think he would pose her any danger. He turned to face her wrapping his arms about her protectively looking her in the eye.

"Itheal, I cannot answer this for you." He said softly and she looked at him her large grey eyes glancing nervously to the Prince and then back to him. While her understanding was much improved he wondered just how much she had understood of the Princes request, and how much had been lost on her, simply in its meaning since she did not know the meanings of many words.

Haldir turned and looked to Legolas who seemed confused by his sisters lack of an answer.

"Her understanding of elvish and many things is limited Prince Legolas, after all you can attest to her treatment for how long in the dungeons of Mirkwood. She has learned much but I think it would be best for her as well as for you if you gave this decision sometime so that she can make it properly." To this Legolas frowned but nodded slowly.

"I would hope that my bearing towards her would not have you speak against me." To this Haldir shook his head, from everything that he had seen of the Princes bearing towards his sister he had no issues with the heir of Mirkwood. With that the Prince gave the wardens a nod and a small sad smile. "Then please keep her safe." With that the prince turned and headed away. Once he had gone Haldir took Rumil and another warden and lead Itheal to her talen.

Haldir motioned for Rumil to follow him up into the talen, where they would begin the task of trying to get Itheal to understand just what her brother had asked. However the first thing Itheal did once they were in her talen was turn and look at them a puzzled look on her face.

"Sister?"

And they knew it was not going to be an easy task.


End file.
